Improvement in closing fruit-jars and other vessels



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JoHN HAEEsrEE, or HEADING, AssiGNoE To w. M. Gnisooiyr, or PHILA- nELrHiA, PENNSYLVANIA.

iMPROVEMENT IN CLOSING FRUIT-JARS AND OTHER VESSELS.

` VSpecification forming part of Letters Patent No. SQAAL dated August 4, 1863.

To 'all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN HAEns'rEn, ot' Reading, Berks county, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Stopper for Preserving- Vessels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My improved stopper, which is fully described hereinafter, has been designed with the view of preventing the gum-elastic packing-ring from being injured by the chemical action of the contents of the vessel, and preventing the latter from being -injured by exposure to the ring and by the corrosion of the metal surfaces, which in ordinary stoppers are exposed to the contents of the vessel.

Another object 0f my invention is the ready means of withdrawing the parts of the stopper which are apt to adhere to the gum-elastic ring.

In order to enable others to make and use my invention I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a vertical section of my improved stopper for preserving-vessels. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of part of the vessel, showing the manner of removing the stopper 5 and Fig. 3 a plan view with part of the stopper removed.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A is the vessel, the mouth a of which is somewhat larger in diameter than the interior of the neck b, so that a shoulder, may be formed between the mouth and the neck.

B is a disk of tinned plate or other metal Or material not liable to be corroded by the chemical action of the contents of the vessel, and on the edge of this disk is formed a beveled flange, m, the outer edge of which is somewhat smaller in diameter than the interior of the vessels mouth, the iiange resting on the shoulder x. A rim, a, of gum elastic iits freely within the mouth a of the vessel, and rests on the beveled flange m of the disk B, and on this ring bears the projecting edge c of the circular plate E, the point of a thumbscrew, F, bearing on the center of this plate, and this screw having threads adapted to internal threads on the yoke D, the bent ends d of which are arranged to catch under the rounded shoulder i, formed on the exterior of the vessels neck. On turning the screw so as to'force down the plate E, the gum-elastic spring will be compressed against the beveled edge m of the disk B and against the interior of the vessels mouth, so as to form a perfectly tight joint and hermetically seal the vessel without exposing the ring to the chemical action of the contents of the vessel, the flange m of the disk B forming an effective partition between the ring and interior of the vessel. After the vessel has been thus sealed for a considerable time the plate E is apt to adhere with considerable tenacity' to the gum ring, and the latter to the interior of the vesvsels mouth; the removing of the plate E is consequently a matter ot' more or less difficulty. It will be observed that there are several openings, f, in this plate E, into any of which a bar, fw, or other suitable instrument may be inserted, as seen in Fig. 2, so as to form a lever, by the aid of which the plate E can be readily withdrawn from the mouth ol' the vessel.

rIlhe importance of interposing the anticorrosive disk B between the interior of the vessel and the gum ring will be readily understood by those familiar with preserving-vessels without explanation.

A small staple or knob, y, shown in red lines, Fig. 2, may be secured to the disk B, in order that the latter may be more readily removed after the withdrawal of the plate E.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The disk B, of tinned plate or other antcorrosive Ymetal or other material, with its beveled edge m, in combination with the plate E and gum-elastic ring u, and the screw E and yoke D, or otherequivalent devices for imparting pressure to the disk B, the whole being arranged, operating, and applied to the mouth of thevessel substantially as described.

2. Forming holes j' in the cover F, for the purpose of readilywithdrawing the said cover, as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subsoribing witnesses.

JOHN HABBSTEB.

VitneSSes:

CHARLES E. FOSTER, J oHN WHITE. 

